Method and apparatus for forming rodshaped fibrous elements



June 6, 1967 P., GALLAGHER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING ROD-SHAPED FIBROUS ELEMENTS 2 SheetS Sheet 1 Filed OCT. 10, 1963 IV/l FIG. 2.

PAUL GALLAGHER INVENTOR.

BY M LLQLJA m A T TOR/V575 June 6, 1967 P. GALLAGHER 3,323,961

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING ROD-SHAPED FIBROUS ELEMENTS Filed Oct. 10, 1963 2 Sheets-Shet 2 PAUL GALLAGHER INVENTOR.

QMM %%m A 7' TORNEYS United States Patent F 3,323,961 METHOD AND APPARATUS FGR FORMING ROD- SHAPED FIBRGUS ELEMENTS Paul Gallagher, Kingsport, TQDIL, assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed 0st. 10, 1963, Ser. No. 315,282 3 Claims. 1 156180) This invention involves a method and apparatus for improving the uniformity of rod-shaped fibrous elements such as tobacco smoke filters. In particular, it involves a method and apparatus for controlling the uniformity of continuous filament tow introduced to a garniture or other rod-forming means.

In U.S. Patent No. 3,016,945 my co-worker Wexler disclosed a method and apparatus for conducting spreadout crimped filaments through a cone-shaped air jet into an immediately adjacent filter element forming means. In U.S. Patent No. 3,050,430 I disclosed an apparatus and process for an improvement over the Nexler method and apparatus for compacting and forming filaments into filter elements wherein the motivating jet employs a venturi portion in immediately adjacent association with a perforated tongue section of the forming means. Although both of these jet arrangements for introducing filter tow into compacting means have proved highly successful in the filter products industry, it has been found desirable in some instances to occasionally interrupt the filter-forming operation to adjust the apparatus to help control unifor-mity of the circumference of the rod-shaped elements. Accordingly, development of a process and apparatus for improving the uniformity, especially with respect to circumference, of filter elements or other rod-like objects produced by compacting a bundle of continuous filament tow by garniture or other shaping means, represents a highly desirable result. After extended investigation we have found a method and apparatus for improving the uniformity of filter elements and the like not only with respect to circumference of the filter elements but also with respect to pressure drop and weight.

One object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for increasing the uniformity of rod-shaped fibrous elements made from continuous fila- Inent tow. Another object is to provide a method and apparatus for improving the uniformity of continuous filament tow as it is introduced from feed rolls to garniture or other compacting means. A further object is to provide a method and apparatus for improving the weight, circumference and pressure drop uniformity of rod-like elements produced by compacting continuous filament tow. Further objects will appear hereinafter.

In the broader aspects of my invention I have found that if prior to the pushing or pulling a bundle of openedup crimped continuous filaments into compacting and Patented June 6, 1967 motivating means may include an endless belt, one or more pairs of driven rolls or a similar device. The orifice may be formed simply by two opposing blocks or it may be in the nature of an eyelet or small hole in a narrow barrier. When the orifice consists of a channel rather than a single opening the channel may have parallel sides or may be tapered. In a preferred embodiment the motivating means comprise a jet such as the abovementioned jet of Gallagher U.S. Patent 3,050,430. However, according to the instant invention the jet serves both as orifice and motivating means, the motivating means being fluid introduced into the jet. Rather than being in immediately adjacent juxtaposition with the forming means as in Gallagher U.S. Patent 3,050,430, according to the present invention the jet is positioned between one or more pairs of feed rolls and the relatively remote compacting means.

In a further embodiment of my invention a flattened horn-like structure may be used for introducing the tow uniformly to the compacting means instead of a coneshaped structure such as that of Wexler U.S. 3,016,945 or Gallagher U.S. 3,050,430.

For a further understanding of my invention reference is made to the attached drawing forming a part of the present application.

FIG. 1 is a semidiagrammatic side elevation view of apparatus for filter element manufacture comprising a filter-forming device having in combination therewith tow constriction means.

FIG. 2 is also a semidiagrammatic side elevation view somewhat on an enlarged scale for clarity showing the constriction means in section.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic representations of an alternate embodiment of the constriction means and associated motivating means of this invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the forming member or compacting device which may be used for compacting the tow according to the present invention after passage through the constricting means.

FIG. 1 will now be described in detail. In this description the figure will be considered from right to left. Namely, it will be assumed that a bundle of crimped continuous filaments has been obtained and is being fed through the apparatus of FIG. 1 for forming a filter element. In other words, the description will be of a path through the apparatus for forming the spread-out continuous filaments into a compacted filter element.

Therefore, 10 designates the crimped continuous filament tow in a spread-out condition to be made into a filter element. This band of filaments will comprise several thousand individual continuous crimped filaments which have previously been treated in certain desired manner. That is, these filaments may be fiuffed, opened up by rolls, sprayed with plasticizer and the like. Further details concerning such treatment may be had from a review of the U.S. Patent 2,794,480 to my coworkers Crawford and Stevens. These filaments 10 pass over and around rolls 12 and 14 for motivating the filaments from the previous treatments such as flufiing, plasticizing, etc. to the treatment by the present invention. These several thousand filaments then arrive at a position designated 16 prior to being passed through the constriction 18 according to the present invention. Since various constructions of this constriction 18 are covered in detailin connection with FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, further detail with respect the exit end 56. The jet is made up of the inner member 53 and the outer member 60. These parts are suitably threaded at 62 or otherwise fabricated so that they may be assembled together and provide the chamber 64- which 1 By measuring seam width microscopically. 2 By standard air gage method. 3 By measuring with print method.

4 By measuring resistance to flow of 17.5 ml. air per second through red.

Ciro. Circumference. Std. =Standard.

Dev. =Deviation.

Press. =Pressure.

erally indicated as 21 including tongue member 22. This 5 encircles the entire inner member. An opening into this compacting device or forming member 20 may be shaped chamber is provided at 66 for the introduction of air or as depicted in FIG. 5. The bottom portion of tongue niemother motivating fluid. The inner walls of this chamber ber 22 may be opened to some extent or otherwise conare shaped so as to provide an outlet orifice 4'58 around structed to accommodate an endless :belt 24. This belt is the periphery of the inner member. In other words, this driven by drum 26. The belt passes over and under various outlet orifice permits the air or the like motivating gas rollers 28, 30, 32 and 34 whereby the belt rotates under to escape out through the exit end 56 of the jet. The size forming member 20 as a conveyor for conveying the of this outlet orifice may be determined by the thickness formed filter rods through the process. The aforemenof gasket 70. tioned driving drum and rollers are suitably positioned In FIG. 3 orifice 72 comprises two block-like portions as shown in the drawing so that the belt passes under 74 and 76 positioned opposite each other providing a forming member in a reasonably parallel manner. constricted channel 78 for passage of tow 8d therethrough. Also positioned in association with forming and wrap- A taperedsection 82 is provided for introducing tow to ping section 21 and above belt 24 is a web of wrapping orifice 72 through a funnel-shaped channel 84. Immedimaterial 36 such as paper. This wrapping material is fed ately downstream from said orifice 72 are located two from supply roll 38 under and over suitable guide rolls 20 endless belts 86 and '83 position so as to move the band 40 and 42. As shown in the drawing the Wrapping mateof tow 90 therebetween after it leaves orifice 92 and to rial is brought into continuous contact with the formed conduct it therefrom toward forming means such as 20 filter element in a manner that the filter element may b shown in FIG. 1. enclosed in the wrapping material. Referring now to FIG. 4, in an alternate embodiment At the other end of the apparatus, parts of which have a band of tow 94 is introduced through orifice 96 havjust been described, there is positioned a paste wheel 44, ing a tapered portion 98 which gradually decreases in guide bars 46, Sealing means 43 and a Cutting dfivlce size to the smallest point 100 and a uniform size portion These various parts in the order mentioned serve to apply Hi2. After passing through Channels 98 and 102 of oriadhesive to the edges of the wrapping material, to fold fice 96 the tow is motivated therefrom toward compactover the wrapping material, to seal the wrapped filter eleing means 20 such as that of FIG. 1 by moving between ment and then cut it into suitable lengths. Since these the nip of rolls 104 and 106. p r l r parts and their function y be g ly in A still further understanding of my invention will be accordance with the corresponding parts shown in abovehad from a consideration of the following examples which i nfld Patent X d d d s p i are set forth for illustrating certain preferred embodiments herein appears to be unnecessary. of the instant invention.

Attention is now turned to FIG. 2, wherein a preferred embodiment of the constriction and motivating device EXAMPLE I of thepresent invention is shown. in this embodiment the A Series f samples (approximately 50 of each type) constriction and motivating means are substantially the of tow was conducted through an orifice jt such as that safne as m the i depicted a h Q p illustrated in FIG. 2 and then compacted into tobacco W ethe eixcptlon P the Jet 1n i Instance 18 P031 smoke filters. Measurements were made and averages honed as mdlcateq m that bgiwqm recorded as indicated in the following table of the rod i and cOmPmtmg {means rather m Immediate y weight, circumference, circumference standard deviation, ad acent association w1ththe compact1ng or filter form- 1 d t ht t d d d ing means. An alternate construction of this jet embodip asuclze OW Welg S an ar e.v1a Presment of constriction and motivating means according to sure drop and pressure drop standard deviation. The table my invention is shown in Wexler Us Patent 3,016; also reports similar data for a sample conducted through 945 referred to above the compacting device without first being passed through Constriction jet 52 preferably is of cone-sha ed an orifice such as that of the present invention. The imstruction. That is, the jet overall can be considered some- PTOVemeIlt in uniformity of the filters y the Process and what as a truncated cone shape thereby having a considerapparatus of this invention is demonstrated by the data ably greater cross-section on the entrance end 54 than on in this table.

TABLE I Tow Circ. Std.Dev. Circ. St'd. Plasticized Std.Dev. Press. Std.Dev. Rod Size lDiameter Sample Weight, 1 (mm.) in Circ. (mm) Dev. Tow Weight Drop inPress. (mm.) of Orifice. Tow

Rod (g.) Circ. Weight (g.) (inH O) l inch Control A". .763 24.7 .083 24.8 .103 836 .0116 11.9 .551 24.7 x102 3D/F, 57,000 TD 1 .768 24.7 .063 24.9 .056 842 .0089 11.9 .413 24.7 x 102 3D/F, 57,000 TD. Control B- .856 24.78 .0284 10.6 .588 24.8 x 102 5D/F, 60,000 TD. .856 24.81 .0276 10.8 .322 24.8 x 102 y; 5D/F, 60,000 TD. .8153 24. 79 .0256 11.1 .273 24.8 x 102 5D/F, 60,000 TD.

Norns:

5 EXAMPLE II A series of samples of tow was formed into filter elements by passing through a fish-mouthed or fiattened cone horn guide such as that depicted in FIG. 5 and physical properties measured similar to those in Table I. The results are shown in the following table. These results were compared with those for controls passed through a conical-shaped horn or forming device as also reported in the following table.

comprises a constriction orifice and motivating means positioned between said roll means and said compacting and forming means whereby the filaments are shaped into a band of uniform width, said orifice being positioned relatively closer to said roll means than to said compacting and forming means.

2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the constricting orifice in association with motivating means comprises a jet having a large open end positioned TABLE 11 Standard Avg. Std. Sample Denier Size Tow Wt.. Pressure Deviation Circ. Dev. Type of Apparatus (DF/TD) (mm.) 1 Rod (g.) Drop (mm) Press. (mm) Circ.

Drop (mm) Control A. 3/53 24. 8 x 78 574 9. 7 266 24. 86 051 2 piece tongue+standard horn. Control B 3/53 24. 8 x 78 574 9. 7 303 24. 87 061 1 piece tongue+standard horn. 1 3/53 24. 8 x 78 573 9. 9 362 24. 86 078 1 piece tongue+% fishmouth horn. 2 3/53 24. 8 x 78 573 9. 8 229 24. 88 058 1 piece tongue+%" fishmouth horn. Control C 3.3/46 24. 8 x 102 743 17. 3 517 24. 83 059 2 piece tongue+standard horn. Control D 3.3/46 24.8 x 102 738 16. 861 24. 77 070 1 piece tongue+standard horn. 1 3. 3/46 24. 8 x 102 661 12. 4 565 24.76 089 2 piece tongue+% fishmouth horn (rods wrinkled).

3. 3/46 24. 8 x 102 714 15. 3 654 24. 77 044 2 piece tongue+% fishmouth horn. 3.3/46 24.8 x 102 713 14. 3 .480 24.82 075 1 piece tongue+%" fishmouth horn. 3. 3/46 24. 8 x 102 662 12. 6 .362 24.85 066 1 piece tongue fishmouth horn (rods wrinkled). 3. 3/46 24. 8 x 102 745 15.9 93S 24. 82 050 2 piece tongue+standard horn.

/60 24.8 x 102 943 11.9 654 24. 84 .138 2 piece tongue standard horn. 5/60 24.8 x 102 .889 11.0 661 24. 87 133 2 piece tongue-9% fiSl'lIIlOllth horn. 5/60 24.8 x 102 838 9.0 554 24.90 105 2 piece tongue+% fishmouth horn. (rods wrinkled). 5/60 24.8 x 102 .863 10.0 .433 24.84 120 1 piece tongue fishmouth horn. (rods wrinkled). 8 5/60 24. 8 x 102 899 10. 5 654 24. 7 9 111 1 piece tongue-9% fishmouth horn. Control G. 5/60 24.8 x 102 .905 12.0 909 24.88 100 1 piece tongue+standard horn. Control H-.. 5/60 24. 8 x 102 .856 10. 6 588 24. 78 090 2 piece tongue-i-std. horn-l-std. 6 day glue.

5/60 24. 8 x 102 856 10. 8 322 24. 81 085 2 piece tongue+std. horn+% stutter 6 day glue. 5/60 24.8 x 102 853 11. 1 273 24. 79 061 2 piece tongue+std. horn+% stuffer 6 day glue.

From the foregoing description and examples it is thought apparent that I have provided by my invention a method and apparatus for improving the uniformity of weight circumference, and pressure drop of filter elements prepared by passing a band of spread-out continuous filament tow through forming means, said improvement being accomplished by passing the tow through a confining means such as an orifice or constriction and either as a part thereof or in association therewith, motivating means.

The invention has been described in detail With particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be elfected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove and as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for manufacture of tobacco smoke filter elements from crimped continuous filaments which comprises roll means for feeding spread-out filaments t0 compacting and forming means, the improvement which UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,050,430 8/1962 Gallagher 156166 3,120,690 2/1964 Stevens 156l66 X 3,144,025 8/1964 Erlich 156180 X 3,148,101 9/1964 Allman et al. 156-180 X EARL M. BERGERT, Primary Examiner.

I. P. MELOCHE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN AN APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO SMOKE FILTER ELEMENTS FROM CRIMPED CONTINUOUS FILAMENTS WHICH COMPRISES ROLL MEANS FOR FEEDING SPREAD-OUT FILAMENTS TO COMPACTING AND FORMING MEANS, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES A CONSTRICTION ORIFICE AND MOTIVATING MEANS POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID ROLL MEANS AND SAID COMPACTING AND FORMING MEANS WHEREBY THE FILAMENTS ARE SHAPED INTO A BAND OF UNIFORM WIDTH, SAID ORIFICE BEING POSITIONED RELATIVELY CLOSER TO SAID ROLL MEANS THAN TO SAID COMPACTING AND FORMING MEANS. 